Man gropes girl in Cerritos Target store

August 6, 2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

Darsha Philips

LOS ANGELES --

Authorities are asking for the public's help to find a man they said groped a girl at a Target store in Cerritos on Tuesday.Police released surveillance photos of the suspect. He is described as Asian, about 30 years old and with acne on his face.

Officials said the man approached a 12-year-old girl who was looking at CDs, stood very close to her, and then fondled her chest area over her clothing. They said he grinned at the girl, apologized, and left the store.

"It's clearly an act of a predator. He waited next to the girl and he looked around, found time to feel her breast and waited for her to look at him and then he apologized and quickly left the store. He knew what he was doing," said Deputy Mark Pope of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Outside of the Target on Friday, officials handed out flyers with a picture of the suspect. Shoppers said they were anxious, because the man has not been identified.

"To do it out in the public area, and to molest someone that's old enough to tell, then how many times has he done this and what age has he done it to?" asked Bridget Nickelson, a Target shopper.

Parents said they are keeping a watchful eye on their children and are not taking chances with a predator still on the loose.

"They need to do something about it, beef up some security and keep more vigilance around here," said shopper Jason House.

Anyone who recognizes the man is urged to call the sheriff's department special victims bureau tip line at (866) 247-5877.